1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic document feeding apparatus, and more particularly, to an automatic document feeding apparatus which is provided on an electrophotographic copying machine wherein an original is fed and transported onto a platen glass, and after the original is temporarily stopped for a copying operation at a predetermined position on the platen glass, the original is discharged.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, it has widely been practiced to construct a copying system which is combined with an automatic document feeding apparatus in an electrophotographic copying machine for the purpose of improving efficiency in a copying operation. In such a copying system, a two-in-one mode is developed.
In the two-in-one mode, two sheets of originals are forwarded to an exposure position on a platen glass side by side to simultaneously form images of the two sheets of originals on one copy sheet whereby the number of copy sheets can be reduced to half relative to the number of originals. Heretofore, however, the two-in-one mode could apply only to a single-faced original. For a double-faced original having images on both sides, the number of copy sheets to be used for a copying operation can be reduced by utilizing a double-faced copying function provided in the main body of a copying machine as compared with a case when a copying operation is performed on one side of a copy sheet. However, as for the number of copying procedures, a copying operation has to be performed corresponding to the number of pages, and the number of copy sheets can not be reduced to half.